Communication students looking to begin their public relations careers are often faced with the daunting decision of pursuing a career in-house for a company or working for an agency. On Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, PRSSA hosted an alumni panel to better educate our members on the difference between in-house and agency and to help them decide which path is right for them. Our panelists included Kristen Seabolt from Ketchum, Emily Kaplan from Edelman, and Zach Schoengold from Zignal Labs. Each panelist offered personal insight to the professional world of public relations.

Differences Between In-House and Agency Having worked at Edelman for over five years, Emily was quick to explain that in an agency everyone does PR, meaning everyone does what you do, but just in different ways. Because of this, she said working at an agency has exposed her to a variety of different industries as opposed to in-house where you are limited to only one company. She mentioned that a benefit of working in-house is that you get to know your team and your company much better because you devote all your time to the same client. Zach added that at an agency it is easier to pivot within the agency to do more of what you want to do and explore your likes and dislikes.

Changing Jobs Kristen worked at Maroon PR, a 20-person firm in Columbia, Md., before recently accepting a position at Ketchum in Washington, DC. Her experience at a small firm helped her understand when it is time to leave a job. For her, she knew she was ready when she had reached the peak of her success within the company and felt that there was no more upward movement for her. She shared that being able to grow professionally is extremely important in a job and if you ever feel as though you are not learning new things or growing, it might be time to look for a position that better suits your needs. Zach’s take on changing jobs was a little different—he said that the day just came where he knew it was time to go. He feels he was lucky to have a boss that encouraged him to constantly explore and pursue new ventures, which led him to leave his job with that company. His biggest piece of advice is to make sure to leave in a professional manner and to always stay in contact with your colleagues. In the business of public relations, everyone knows everyone, so it is important to stay connected and maintain relationships because people talk to each other.

Corporate CultureEmily worked for Edelman in New York City before recently transferring to the Washington, D.C, office. She explained that the corporate culture—even in the same company—was very different in both cities. In New York, the Edelman office is more fast-paced and creative with an open floor plan that encourages relationships and innovation. In D.C., the people who work there are a little easygoing and have more expertise on what they do instead of jumping around different areas of the field.

Upward MovementTo get an idea of how the structure of the company works and how you can be promoted, all three panelists suggest that you ask people in the position that you hope to achieve. Ask colleagues about what their positions are and how they got to where they are. Zach uses a Google Doc to share with his accomplishments, thoughts and what he is passionate about with his supervisor. This keeps the conversation open and demonstrates the hard work he puts into his job.

Starting a Job After GraduationFor many seniors, their entire final semester is spent looking for a job to begin right after graduation. As alumni, the panelist said that this isn’t the only way to approach post graduation. They each suggested that grads should take the time they need to relax and that applying a few months after graduation isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There are so many cool experiences that you might not be able to do later in life, so if you have the opportunity, by all means, take it!For those who want a job right after graduation, Emily suggests thinking hard about whom you want to work for and what you want to do on a day-to-day basis. Make sure the people you want to work for will be the ones to shape your career and that you are a good fit for them just as much as they are good fit for you.

Going Back to School or Staying in the Workforce All three of the panelists stayed in the workforce and suggested that unless you need a higher education degree for something or are completely changing career paths, another degree might not be necessary. Public relations is an experience-based industry, so it may be better to get a few years of work in before returning to school. There are classes you can take to continue learning that aren’t part of a graduate program and sometimes companies will even offer tuition reimbursement.

Internships Even before its time to look for out-of-college jobs, getting an internship can help kick start your future career. Kristen and Zach both said that their internships from college helped them build a valuable skill set that helped them get to where they are today. Internships are also a great preview of what it would be like to work for the company in the future and can help build connections that will be vital later on when applying to full-time jobs. For Emily, her internship taught her what she doesn’t want in a job, which can be just as helpful.

Thank you to our incredible panelists, Kristen, Zach, and Emily, who helped the members of PRSSA discover the differences between in-house and agency while sharing advice to help our members grow personally and professionally in the public relations industry.